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June 20, Gyeongju, South Korea

SOUTH KOREA | Friday, 20 June 2008 | Views [1060] | Comments [1]

We got up a little late this morning and headed into the lounge area to make ourselves some breakfast.  The guesthouse that we are staying at has complimetary coffee, tea, toast, and eggs for breakfast. The catch is that you have to clean all your dishes.  It seems though, that some people aren't too happy about leaning their own dishes.  The reason that I say this is that as I went to select a frying pan, spatula, dishes, and utensils, I found that half of everything still had egg muck left on it.

I then decided to go on the computer and upload some photos and what not, and Angy made breakfast.

(Angy) The first egg I tried to crack into the pan would not crack, my first thought was that Korean eggs have really hard shells, then I realized that it was a boiled egg.  Kyle then proceeded to spin the eggs to check them before I tried to cook them!  I think part of my previous bathroom problem (when I didn't make it to the bathroom) was because the egg I had had for breakfast had been stored at room temperature.  The eggs here had also been stored at room temperature and they again went right through me!  But I made it to the bathroom this time.  We handed over our laundry to the owner's wife, and Kyle said she looked shocked to see how much we had, he also asked her to use extra soap because we had been farming, and he told her we would pay extra.  Kyle and I set out to explore the town.  It was very hot and humid that day.  We had sushi for lunch super yummy, and cheap, $21 for about 35 pieces.  Then I stepped in gum, and it flung up onto the bottom of my foot, and stuck to my foot and sandal (see picture).  It was so hot that dayI thought I was going to pass out!  We saw some Tumuli's which are large mounds of dirt covered with grass that act as a tomb, these are all over Gyeongju.  There are very high, and very steep and only one person is buried in each one!  Then we decided to take a bus to see a temple that was outside of the city center a little ways.  While I was waiting for bus #10 or 11 Kyle snuck off to play video games at the near by arcade.  I saw bus #10 heading our way so I yelled for him, but he couldn't hear me and then we missed the bus.  The bus drivers are very quick, and to an American they seem rude, so this bus quickly stopped and then took off again.  Soon after bus #11 showed up, and we got on.  Paying was difficult, and then as the bus was taking off from the bus stop a taxi ran into the bus.  The drivers got out and started talking to each other in the street, so there we sat!  Finally after the police arrived and spray painted the accident scene, the bus pulled forward a little, and we made our escape!  Just in time, as bus #10 pulled up again, and then we had to pay again.  We rode the bus for over a half an hour, and we weren't sure what stop to get off at, so finally I thought we were there so I told Kyle we should get off.  Well it was the wrong stop, and Kyle is so nice that while we walked uphill in the heat for OVER AN HOUR, he didn't get mad or blame me once!  I, on the other hand, was swearing and complaining and quite miserable!  Kyle just giggled and tried to video taped me! UGH!  When we finally got to the temple it was only open for another 45 minutes and the entry fee was 8000 Won, so we didn't even end up going in!  We caught the bus back to the city center, and found some dinner at a place that was in the Lonley Planet book.  It said it served Western and Korean food, it was just ok.  We decided to find our own places from now on, the recommendations in the book are not that good.

 
After dinner, we were determined to find a bar to have a drink, and then head back to the guesthouse.  We had much trouble finding a place.  Finally we ended up at Oolie Boolie, which was deserted and extremely hot!  We had some beer, tried to converse with the bartender and then walk back to the guesthouse, feeling like losers in Korea.

Comments

1

ok, so the pictures of those hills look amazing! how beautiful!
And, If you feel like a loser then I'm like an uber loser because I am living vicariously through you! You're on vacation and not supposed to know what's going on...its all apart of the adventure. I totally had an experience like your bus fiasco and at the time it was incredibly horrible, but later, it was and still is funny as all hell!!
BTW, one day, the Oolie Boolie will be a great place to rendezvous - quick, to the Oolie Boolie! well maybe not, but its just fun to say
much love,
Steph

  Stephanie Jun 26, 2008 12:24 PM

 

 

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